Piano-case



E. N. OGDEN; PIANO CASE.

(No Model.)

,fnvezzbr Irzmrh/VO azz. g4 I Patented May 5, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT CrrIcE,

ERNEST N. OGDEN, OF CHATIIAM, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-TI'IIRDS TO MAYE. RIDER, OF SAME PLACE, AND MARTIN V. SPRAGUE, OF PITTS- FIELD,MASSACHUSETTS.

PIANO-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,742, dated May 5,1896.

Application filed June 18,1895. Serial No. 553,232. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- panel may be removed, if necessary. Fig. 3Be it known that I, ERNEST N. OGDEN, a is a detail section showing theconstruction citizen of the United States, residing at Chatof the hingesconnecting the lower edge of the ham,in the county of Columbia and Stateof front panel to the piano-frame. Fig. at is a New York, have inventednew and useful Imdetail view showing the construction by which 5 5provements in Construction of Pianos, of the toggle or other form oflever is connected which the following is a specification. pivotally tothe inner face of the panel.

My invention relates to certain improve- Thereference-numerallinsaiddrawingsinments in the construction of pianos, mypurdicates an uprightpiano of any ordinarycon- Io pose being to make provision for openingand struction, the numeral 2 denoting the front 60 closing the lowerfront panel of the case at lower panel and the numeral 3indicating thethe will of the player, whereby a largely-inkeyboard. These parts asWell as the other creased volume of sound may be thrown diportions ofthe structure being familiar to rectly out 'into the apartment andtoward the every person skilled in the art and being unfront, instead ofcompelling the entire volchanged by my invention, a detailed descrip- 65 ume of acoustic vibrations to pass upward, tion of the same isunnecessary for the puras has been the practice heretofore, during posesof this specification. My purpose be which passage the acousticpulsations are ing to enable the performer to throw the front more orless interrupted by the keyboard, or lower panel 2 open at will and to aVarying by the action, or both, said pulsations passextent, I accomplishthis in the manner fol- 7o ing out at the top of the case by partly orlowing: I connect the lower front panel at its wholly raising the lid.It is my purposealso lower edge to the frame by hinges 5, the to combinewith the lower front panel of an lower leaves of said hinges being soformed upright piano simple means whereby it may that they may bereadily detached from the be thrown open to any required degree by frameof the piano should it become necesmerely manipulating one of thefoot-pedals sary to remove said panel. To the inner face of theinstrument to a greater or less degree, of the said panel, at a pointbelow its upper according to the degree to which the panel is edge, isattached a plate 5, having a lug (3, to be opened, its closing beingautomatically in which is formed a seat for a pivot-pin 6,

o effected by releasing the pedal, thereby enmounted in the bifurcatedend of one member, abling the performer to vary the volume of 7, of atoggle-lever, the other and similarlysound thrown into the apartment andthus formed member, 7,being pivotally connected greatly increasethefacility of expression of to a lug 8, hanging from the lower face of theany musical composition performed. frame supporting the keyboard, asseen in 35 The invention consists, to these ends, in the Fig. 1. Betweenthe two pivotal connections 8 5 several novel features of constructionand for the ends of said rod the latter is divided, new combinations ofparts hereinafter fully and its two adjacent ends are provided withexplained, and then particularly pointed out any form of hearing or lugsuitable for enin the claims which conclude this specificagagement witha pivot-pin 9, upon the forked 40 tion. end of a connecting-rod 10,which extends 0 To enable those skilled in the art to which downward farenough to be connected to the my invention pertains to make and use theend of a bar 13, fulcruined between its ends same, I will describe saidinvention in detail, and connected at its one end to saidconnectreference being had to the accompanying ing-rod and at its otherend to the extremity 4 5 drawings, in which of a second lever 15,arranged below the first Figure 1 is a vertical section taken from lever13, the fulcrum of the latter being near front to rear of an uprightpiano containing the end which is linked by arod 16 to the end myinvention. Fig. 2 is a detail view showof one of the foot-pedals,preferably the cening the pivotal connection between the panel tral one,although I may use any other if pre- 50 and its operative connection,whereby said ferred. A drawing-spring 17, connected to the lever 13 andto the keyboard frame, serves to break the toggle-lever by an upwardmovement produced by the drawing-spring 17, and thereby close the lowerfront panel, while by a pressure on the foot-pedal the said toggle-leveris brought into substantially a right line and the lower front panel isopened to an extent corresponding to the degree of pressure on thefoot-pedal.

In order to retain the panel 2 in its open position and in any one ofthe different positions which vary the extent to which the front isthrown open, I provide locking projections 18 or other equivalentdevices in the pedalsupporting frame, with any one of which the edge ofthe pedal may be engaged. By a pressure in the proper direction thepedal may be disengaged, and upon removing the pressure of the foot thespring 13 will at one close the panel.

As it may sometimes be desirable to remove the lower front panel 2, asalready mentioned, I form the other pivotal connection for the rod orbar 7 in such manner that it may be readily disconnected. Thisconstruction may be of different kinds, but a simple and sufficient formis shown in Fig. i, in which the lug (i is provided with an open slot 6,in which the pivot-pin on the forked end of the rod '7 may be inserted.Said slot is overhung by a spring 18, secured to the plate carrying thelug and bearing in such direction that it will confine the pivot-pin inthe slot (3 but permit it to be disconnected at pleasure.

The hinges 5 are each formed preferably of a leaf having suchconstruction that it may be attached to the panel by screws or othersuitable means, while the other leaf has ribs or feathers 5 which mayboth lap upon and be sunk into the wood of the frame.

Prior to my invention the front lower and upper panels and the entireinclined back of the case have been provided with flaps or horizontalstrips resembling those used upon shutters, said flaps being connectedtogether and automatically thrown open at the moment that the lidcovering the keyboard is lifted. A pedal is also connected to the flapsin such manner that the latter can be partly or wholly closed by theplayer. A pedal has also been so connected to the top lid of an uprightpiano that said lid can be thrown open to emit the sound. I make noclaim to structures of this character. They cannot accomplish theresults which I seek to obtain. The flaps formed at intervals in bothfront and rear of the piano-casing and arranged to be normally open atall times are totally impractical and highly objectionable features. Anyperson having even a small knowledge of music would at once condemn suchconstructions. The top lid operated by a pedal is less objectionable;but it fails, nevertheless, to accomplish the results desired. Allupright pianos are provided with top lids, and it is customary to opensaid lids and keep them open when the full power of the instrument isdesired. 111 no instance prior to my invention has the entire lowerfront panel been made capable of use as a swell-panel, and in no otherform of construction can the remarkable results which I secure beobtained.

Vhat I claim is 1. An upright piano having a lower panel, hinged at itslower edge in combination with a toggle-lever having one arm pivoted toa rigid bracket and the other arm pivoted on the panel, a pair ofparallel levers one of which is connected by a link to the toggleleverjoint, and a pedal connected to the other parallel lever, whereby saidpanel may be opened to different degrees by pressure upon said pedal,substantially as described.

2. An upright piano having a lower front panel 2 connected to the frameby its lower edge and a pedal mechanism consisting of the lever 15,connected to the pedal, the lever 13 connected to said lever 15, and thetogglelever 7, 7 having its ends connected to the panel and to a rigidbracket and its joint connected to the lever 13, whereby said panel maybe thrown open, when desired, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ERJEST N. OGDEN.

Witnesses:

JAMES L. NoRRIs, J. GRANVILLE MEYERs, Jr.

